Diaries. The diaries contain a fairly detailed account of Towner's daily activities as a settler and family-man, during his long life in the Richmond Valley. [Note: The record group contains two diaries written by Emma Towner for the years 1947-1951, and a single volume by George Towner Jnr., Dated 1915] Born at Congewai, near Cessnock, NSW, George Towner went to the Richmond River district at the age of fifteen, where he worked at timber-getting and road-building. In 1878 he married Emma Barlow of Alstonville. He selected land at Meerschaum (Rous Hill) and lived there until 1924 when he retired to Ballina, where he died aged 91 years. His wife Emma died in 1951, aged 94.